The present invention relates to a collimator control method and apparatus and a radiography system. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a method and an apparatus for controlling a collimator that includes motor-driven blades, and a radiography system including the collimator control apparatus.
In radiography systems, a collimator is used to define an X-ray field in a subject to which X-rays are irradiated. The collimator has motor-driven blades. The positions of the blades are varied in order to adjust the X-ray field (refer to, for example, Patent Document 1).
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-61941 (p. 3 and FIG. 1)
In collimators, blades may be stuck. When it says that the blades are stuck, it means that the blades are immobilized, though a motor is conducting. This is attributable to a malfunction of a driving mechanism or a user's improper manipulation. If the blades are stuck, an X-ray field cannot be adjusted. Consequently, radiography cannot help being interrupted.